Canadiens start the playoffs on the road

Remember that game against the Islanders that Michel Therrien decided to start George Parros in and the team didn't even bother to show up? Well as it turns out, that game was the difference between home ice advantage and starting on the road, as the Tampa Bay Lightning ran the table and won all three of their remaining games to notch 101 points.

The Canadiens perform almost identically on the road and at home, so you may be thinking it doesn't really matter, but the Canadiens are only one of the teams in this series. As it turns out, Tampa Bay is absurdly dominant at home, but just barely above average on the road.

Considering the obvious coaching and line matching advantage Tampa Bay has in the series, forcing the Lightning onto the road could have been the tiny little advantage that the Canadiens needed to win the series, but with home ice now off the table, it's very difficult to consider the Habs favourites heading into round one.

Ben Bishop remains injured, and could miss all of round one, but Anders Lindback has actually been decent in relief after a season that would see many goaltenders sent off to the glue factory.

We'll have your playoff schedule ready as soon as it comes out.